


Kids These Days

by Saraiguma



Category: RWBY
Genre: Gen, Trans Female Character, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-12
Updated: 2015-09-12
Packaged: 2018-04-20 11:48:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4786253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saraiguma/pseuds/Saraiguma
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Junior finds a pair of teenagers and tries to help them out, and maybe help himself out too</p>
            </blockquote>





	Kids These Days

 Hei Xiong grumbled as he balanced another bag in his grip. Tending bar all night then having to go on supply runs the next day was taking its toll, he knew he needed help but he didn't trust any of his employees without someone riding their ass.

 

"The price of success" he grinned to himself and suddenly realized that the familiar weight of his wallet was missing. He scanned his surroundings, hoping to catch sight of the thief, and saw a teenaged boy sprint around a corner.

 

"You little..." Hei Xiong tossed his shopping onto the curb and darted after the boy, shouting as he gave chase "GET BACK HERE WITH MY WALLET YOU THIEVING SCUMBAG!"

 

Hei Xiong managed to barely keep behind the thief, darting through alleys and over short fences, determined to retrieve his wallet. Even after losing sight of the teenager he managed to follow the sounds of fearful footfalls, pausing at each intersection to separate the echoes from the origin and loping off again.

 

Hei Xiong skidded around a corner, worried about exactly how long it had been since he'd heard the thief, he was sure that this was the right direction but the trail ended here. He let out an exasperated sigh and hoped that, if nothing else, his shopping was still waiting for him or else he'd be out a lot more than a morning's work. He had started to turn around when he heard a muffled cough, swiveling his head to the source of the sound he saw a pile of milk crates stacked in front of a dilapidated wall

 

Grinning, he pulled Molotov from its holster under his coat and slowly towards the pile, when he was only a few paces away he softly exhaled then sprung into action. One fluid line could be traced through his actions; demolishing the mountain of plastic and wood in a single blow, switching Molotov to ranged mode, and shouldering it, prepared to be face to face with his thief.

 

A demanding shout died in his throat as he saw the thief shielding a girl with his body. They both had the same striking green eyes and straight black hair, though the boy's was significantly shorter. He lowered Molotov's barrel and took a step towards the siblings

 

“Please don't hurt us” the boy cried, tightening the grip on his sister “our father kicked us out and we had nowhere to go and we haven't eaten in days and I didn't have another option so I had to-” he was silenced by a hand on his shoulder.

 

“Please just” the girl swallowed nervously, eyeing the weapon that was only inches away from being aimed at them “take the wallet and don't call the police, we didn't want any trouble I swear.”

 

“Alright, look” Hei Xiong pinched the bridge of his nose, Molotov's barrel ground into the dirt beside his leg “I get that you're hungry, but you and your brother can't just-”

 

“ _Sister_ ” Hei Xiong was given pause by the vehemence in the girl's voice “My _sister_ and I are doing what we have to to survive, whatever you think you understand doesn't matter.”

 

“Your...sister?” a wave of realization hit him “Oh. _Oh._ ”

 

“Kids, look” Hei Xiong swung the club back into its holster as he went to one knee “I understand your circumstances a lot better than you think I do, so I'm going to help you out, because I wish somebody had helped me out. How does food and shelter in exchange for a little work?”

 

“Work doing what?” the thief gazed at him suspiciously, still shielding her sister with her body “Just because I stole your wallet doesn't mean we'll work for a criminal”

 

“Nothing like that” he tried his best for a reassuring smile “I run a club and I always need capable help. There's a loft you two can share, meals from the kitchen, and I'll pay you too as long as you keep working. But before you decide on anything, how about we tell each other our names?”

 

The long-haired girl sighed “My name is Melanie Okpik and this is my sister Mat-” she paused, biting her lip as she looked questioningly at her sister.

 

“Militiades” the short-haired girl offered, after a few moments of hesitation “but I'd just as soon drop the Okpik”

 

“That's fine, use whatever names you like, my name is Hei Xiong but everyone calls me Junior” he helped both of them to their feet “Let's go see how much of my grocery shopping is still sitting there, then we can go get you settled, okay?”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little ficlet I had the inspiration to write, I was always a little curious how a pair of teenagers ended up working at a club like that.
> 
> Thanks to my beta readers and any mistakes remaining are my own.


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